Hanzi Sheets
How to write 你叫什么名字 — "What Is Your Name" in Chinese
你叫什么名字 (nǐ jiào shén me míng zi) is how you say "what is your name" in Chinese. The first question kids learn to ask — and to answer. Below is each character with its pinyin and meaning, plus a free tracing worksheet you can print in seconds.
你叫什么名字 character by character
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning in this phrase |
|---|---|---|
| 你 | nǐ | you |
| 叫 | jiào | to call; to be called |
| 什 | shén | (as in 什么, what) |
| 么 | me | (as in 什么, what) |
| 名 | míng | name |
| 字 | zi | character; word |
| 你叫什么名字 | nǐ jiào shén me míng zi | what is your name |
Using 你叫什么名字
什么 is “what” and 名字 is “name”, so the question builds neatly: 你 (you) 叫 (are called) 什么 (what) 名字 (name)? It is the first question-and-answer pair in every beginner course, answered by 我叫… plus a name.
In Traditional Chinese it is 你叫什麼名字; only 么 changes, to 麼. In speech 名字 lightens to “míng zi”. A useful adult upgrade: meeting someone older, ask 您贵姓？(nín guì xìng — “your honorable surname?”) — but between kids on a playground, 你叫什么名字 is exactly right.
Pre-filled with 你叫什么名字 in a tian grid with stroke-order strips. Add more words, pick a size, print.
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FAQ
How do you answer 你叫什么名字?
我叫 + your name: 我叫大卫 (I'm David). The question and answer share the verb 叫 (to be called), which makes them easy to memorize as a pair.
Is 你叫什么名字 polite enough for adults?
Between children and classmates, yes. For elders or formal settings, use 您贵姓？(“may I ask your surname?”) — the respectful adult version.
How is 你叫什么名字 written in Traditional Chinese?
你叫什麼名字 — only 么 changes, to 麼.